Tesco Mobile Launches 5G in 24 Cities

Tesco Mobile has launched data packages using O2’s growing 5G network from just £15 a month.

5G speeds will initially be available to Tesco Mobile users in 24 city centres, including London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. That coverage will expand as O2’s 5G network is rolled out to a total of 50 cities and towns, including Milton Keynes and Cambridge, by summer 2020.

Download speeds on O2’s next-generation mobile network average just under 160Mbps and top out at around 260Mbps, according to a speed test run by Ookla during the third quarter of last year.

Tesco Mobile customers with 5G-enabled smartphones will be able to access 5G from just £15 a month, for a SIM-only deal. But be warned that the 5GB of data that tariff comes with will vanish quickly with 5G speeds.

If you want to bundle a new 5G smartphone with the plan, prices start at £29.99 a month, for 5GB a month with a Samsung Galaxy A90 5G. All Tesco Mobile 5G tariffs also come with 5,000 voice minutes and 5,000 texts.

Tom Denyard, CEO of Tesco Mobile, said: “Today marks an exciting step for Tesco Mobile as we bring the latest technology to our customers. We’ve taken the time to be in a position to offer great value tariffs, making 5G accessible to everyone—all with the added perks of being part of the Tesco family.”

Unlike other mobile providers, Tesco Mobile isn’t handing customers the keys to 5G for no additional cost. Packages with 5G access are priced higher than those for 4G.

Tesco Mobile’s 5G packages also top out at 100GB, while mobile network providers EE, Three, Vodafone and Tesco Mobile parent O2 have all rolled out unlimited data packages to accommodate 5G speeds.

However, customers will benefit from Tesco Mobile’s excellent customer service. The mobile arm of the supermarket giant was once again the least complained-about phone provider in the third quarter of 2019, according to figures from Ofcom.